The Queensland University of Technology of Mr. Vincent Sacriz and staff Leissy Menendez answers queries of inter agency participants in this year’s training program on “Developing a Results Framework on Disability” slated in Brisbane this May, under the Public Sector Linkages Program (PLSP) funded by the AusAid.

The program formally started with two “In-Country Training” sessions last February until March 4, 2013 at Richmonde Hotel, capped with the team’s March 5 Exit Conference with NCDA and pre-departure briefing of trainees.

Taking up the challenge to open its doors for students with disabilities, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines hosted an orientation on “Accessible Reading and Publishing for All, through DAISY, E-Pub and other Adoptive Technologies” for its IT officers, librarians, invited publishers and partners, last Wednesday, March 6, 2013.

Launched by the Resources for the Blind and the National Council on Disability Affairs in sync with PUP Vice President Manuel Muhi, all Speakers rallied ‘equitable access to information’, as a tool to ‘make the right to training and education real” for persons with disabilities.

In an announcement made by A. Mabini Awards Screening Committee Chairman Arch. Jaime Silva, deadline for submission of nomination has been extended from February 28, 2013 to April 1, 2013.

This event is launched by the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PFRD), in partnership with concerned government, private and disabled people’s organizations every other year. Please check out (NCDA website link for details).

Nomination Procedure:1. Anyone can nominate individuals or groups to any category provided they fit the criteria. Self-nomination will not be accepted.
2. A member of the organization cannot nominate his/her own group.
3. Nominators will be asked to fill out the required forms and submit requirements on or before February 28, 2013.Forms can be downloaded from the PFRD website www.pfrd.org.ph
4. Nominators can work with the nominees in accomplishing required papers.
5. Narrative and attachments should not exceed 20 pages.
6. None-paper attachments such as DVDs or CDS can be submitted as well.

In town to tap local counterparts for a 2013 “International Conference of the World Federation of the Deafblind” slated in the country, was a delegation led by Mr. Christer Nilsson, International Coordinator, the Swedish Association of the Deafblind. With him are officers of the Japan Deafblind Association Mr. Noboyuki Takahashi, Mr. Shinichi Hashima, and their deafblind interpreters Ms. Kana Hashimato, Ms. Momoko Haruno, Ms Kanae Hasumi and English-Japanese interpreter Sachi Shirota.

Left photo: Mr.Bong Garcia and Mr. Purcil share project backgrounders and the above right photo shows the group marking all meeting agreements with a posterity shot.

Local experts Philippine School for the Deaf’s Principal Ms. Yolanda Capulong and Resources for the Blind’s Ms.Mila Wayno expressed support for the Conference and requested relevant details to guide the local team that would later assist in that world event. These include the number of participants, venue, theme, program, international steering Committee and admin requirements, which Mr. Nilsson partially provided, complete details to be sent ASAP.

Acting ED Carmen Zubiaga, after a briefing on NCDA by DED Mateo A. Lee, Jr., assured the group that the Council would support the event and reiterated the need for the abovementioned info, including the possibility of funding local participants and other funding arrangements.

Mr. Nilsson admitted he felt ‘’scared’ of the big task when he had to take over Mr. Grandia who recently passed away, but was relieved after Ms. Carmen’s commitment to help, alongside partners present and to tap more, as soon as important inputs are in from the organizers.

As model, Mr. Noboyushi Takahashi gave a presentation of their Association’s programs for the Japanese deafblind, including technology and other communication tools, which highly impressed the group.

After an exciting exhibit and sale of fashionable “Bags for Life” crafted by persons with disabilities and their kins at the Municipal Hall last November 7, 2012, Mayor Dahlia Loyola gave the project her thumbs up. She warmly thanked NCDA for bringing in ‘Bags for Life’ Expert Ms. Lulu Ocampo for the 6-day workshop, and on the spot, gave instructions to tap local establishments to donate all used telephone directories, posters and newspapers to sustain ‘’Bags’’ production

20 trainees with disabilities hurdled 8 days to learn weaving “Bags for Life”, back-to-back with ‘Appropriate Paper-based Technology (APT)” to make useful devices/kiddie tables and chairs from waste cardboards and papers. Aimed to provide Carmona’s persons with disabilities novel and practical options to generate extra income, this is also an NCDA’s pitch to enlist women and men with disabilities as environment advocates through waste reuse.

Our 6-man “Make the Right Real Team Philippines” brought home 3 awards, 2 grand champion and a special award in e-Life, e-Tools and slogan making contests in ‘Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities’ in Song Do University, Incheon, Korea. Young champs are Ezekiel John Erpelo (MCCID Institute of Technology), Caroll Ann de Belen (Manila High School) and Joseph Gabriel Vesagas (Independent Learning Center).

The 6-man “MAKE THE RIGHT REAL- TEAM PHILIPPINES” led by NCDA staff Jennifer Garcia represented the country and bested other bets from 27 countries in this event held last October 29 to November 2, 2012. Ms. Garcia, herself with disability was the Team Coordinator, and was one of the presentors who spoke on “Accessible ICT in the Philippines”.

Pinch-hitting for ED Carmen Reyes-Zubiaga, DED Matt Lee Jr., met the 5-man team for this world event on October 29-November 2, 2012 in Incheon, Korea.He helped find the team’s name – “MAKE THE RIGHT REAL – PHILIPPINES,adopting the new Decade’s tagline, with the theme: I.T.’s More Fun in the Philippines”.The young delegates will compete in e-LIFE,e-Tools and e-Sports categories.

The 5 delegates are:1) Ms. Jennifer Garcia, Team Coordinator from NCDA, will also present a country paper on “Accessible ICT in the Philippines”, 2) Ezekiel “EJ” Erpelo, MCCID Institute of Technology, 3) Gerson Peralta, Philippine National School for the Blind (PNSB) , Jabby Vesagas (Independent Living Learning Centre (ILLC), and Jabby’s Mother/Personal Assistant Mrs. Connie Vesagas.

The meeting no doubt, set the whole team on a high gear, with NCDA’s full support. Big thanks goes to the Department of Foreign Affairs’’ staff Ms. Mila Cruz, who tirelessly makes the express lanes for PWD passport applicants real, including these young delegates.

Batangas Governor’s Advocate Mr. Ronel del Rio, the only Filipino chosen by the United Nations-Economic and Social Commission in the Asia Pacific (UN-ESCAP), joins six others from other AP countries, as official ‘PROMOTERS’’ of the “3rd Decade of Persons with Disabilities”, 2013-2023.

Ronel with many hats, takes his role as Governor Vilma Santos-Recto’s Advocate’s most seriously, inspired by the former’s full support, shown here signing manifesto of commitment to engage the business sector in creating work ops for Batanguenos with disabilities.

Batangas LGU’s powerhouse cast led by Ronel…whose award as UN-ESCAP’s Promoter in AP was proudly announced by NCDA Acting Executive Director Carmen, at the SubCom on Access to Justice launch.

Mr. del Rio, a longtime radio announcer and focal person on the Philippine Disability Affairs Office (PDAO)-Batangas Province, is an active member of the Philippine Coalition on the UN-CRPD and also a prominent feature of the Fully Abled Nation (F.A.N.), a campaign for disability-inclusive elections. Shown below as host/coordinator of the “Web Access Workshop”, he recruited 27 interoffice personnel in the Batangas Provincial Capitol, to learn to make their website “PWD-friendly” , as an empowering tool for Batangueños with disabilities.

The workshop was held in sync with the National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) and the Philippine Web Accessibility Group (PWAG)whose President , Mr. Jojo Esposa, served as the main Resource Person.

As promoter, Mr. del Rio is tasked to launch a dynamic campaign, alongside other promoters, to ‘MAKE THE RIGHT REAL” for persons with disabilities, called for in the ‘UN- Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’.

Last minute, but productive chat. Prior to her flight back home, Sociology Professor Naoko Takeda, Ph.D. from Musashi University, Tokyo Japan, traded notes with NCDA ED Carmen Reyes-Zubiaga (above right photo) and staff, (from left, TCD Chief Nelia de Jesus, Project Dev’t. Officer Josephine Despi and PMD’s Planning Officer Delfina “Bing” Bacquir), on community-based livelihood programs of/for persons with disabilities. This meeting would spin off following future joint projects: 1) field visits of Japanese sociology students to local livelihood projects such as beauty salon, bakeries and eateries run/manned by persons with disabilities, 2) posting of counterpart projects c/o Musashi University in Tokyo, Japan, on the Council website and other related info exchange.